BJP MLAs on Thursday assaulted Independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, a day after he had hosted a beef party.
As BJP MLAs assaulted Rashid, several National Conference and Congress MLAs rushed to his rescue.
Rashid, a legislator from Langate, hosted the beef party in the lawns of the MLA hostel on Wednesday. Guests were served beef kebabs, ‘ristas’ (meat balls) and beef patties.
(This is) just to give them (legislators) a clear message that it hardly makes any difference whether you accept or reject the bill...religious matters cannot be kept subservient to courts and assembly. Nobody on earth, no assembly, no court and no institution can stop us from having what we want to have.
— Sheikh Abdul Rashid, Independent MLA, Jammu and Kashmir
The beef row erupted after a division bench of High Court in Jammu directed the state to strictly implement the ban as per section 298A and 298B of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).
Rashid has hurt our sentiments, he said he will organise thousand such parties. We will thrash him thousand times. He violated the constitution.
— BJP MLA Involved in the Attack to CNN-IBN
The order had evoked strong resentment from various quarters, with many separatist and religious organisations seeking a revocation of the law. The issue is now before the Supreme Court.
(With agency inputs.)
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